Category Archives: beer news

When a brewery starts with the opening line, “is all about producing amazing beer”, of course, you can look at that many ways; sideways, or with more than a little, “oh yeah, realllly”, and then when you read on “We’re mostly concentrating on sour beers as we’re on a mission to expand the possibilities of what’s possible”, to our ears, can mean one of two things – car crash brewing, or OMG good beer. Thankfully, it’s the latter not the former. Yes, these beers, are OMG good. Chortlon Brewing Co, is one of the most exciting, eccentric and brave new breweries I have had the fortune to be introduced to!

Mike, a well travelled, eccentric character, like many had gravitated to the railway arches of Bermondsey, London to hone his brewing skills and equally satiate his palate for innovative beers with the burgeoning beer community. Then, just upped and went to Manchester to scratch that itch of opening a brewery, following the dream! Not able to actually open the brewery in Chorlton, as was planned, they are now gracing the delightful scenery of Ardwick in Manchester. Tongue firmly in cheek. But, like many, as a friend recently said, it wouldn’t be modern day British Craft Brewing, if it wasn’t in a railway arch, so Chorlton Brewing co, is in a railway arch.

Beyond the location, the route to opening the brewery, what Mike is achieving with his custom brew kit, is seriously impressive – super clean, incredibly aromatic tart ales that, trying to avoid the cliches, both push the boundaries of what sour/tart beers are, and reflect on what has gone by, with passion and devotion to the styles. Ignore the numbers on the various beer rating websites, these are really out there beers, but really accessible and great fun refreshment.

What drew me to them, was the impressive Yakima Sour, a dry hopped “berlinner weisse”, with American aromatic hop varieties, that leaves a “Jolly Rancher”/Haribo sours type experience – super fruity, but with a long tart citrusy finish. Then there is the Woodruff Berlinner, again another lacto-sour, but flavoured with natural Woodruff, so you can experience the natural flavours, that have become forgotten by the larger brewers who remain commercial brewers of this style, in Berlin.

Oh.. And every beer they ever make will be unfiltered, unpasteurised and unfined. Do not miss these guys. We’ll be increasing the range, as and when new beers emerge from the railway arch.

Christmas has long been the time for special beers to come out and be enjoyed but who is to say that it is only the Christmas style beers that can be enjoyed in the season on goodwill.

Many other beers really hold their own in the darker months of the year. Now most people would typically say a good Stout suits the time of year well, it does but maybe try something more interesting like a thyme or a chilli stout.

Brown ales are an oft maligned beer that really should come to the fore as the nights close in. Slightly stronger abv with big malt flavours can really work as winter warmers much of the Belgian beers are already suited to this before they even do their specials, looking at Bruges Zot Brune or De Dolle Arabier here.

Come on through people we can be more interesting than that right? Dark beers are better in the winter, what a shocker!So let’s try something new, spicing up a sour beer to make our own winter brew. Let’s take a bottle of something nice and sour perhaps a Boon or a Lindemanns gueze if you’re feeling it go with a Berliner Wiesse to get your sharpness. Next grab a bottle of Belgian wit Blanche de Bruxelles would be best. 2 parts sour to 1 part wit to get us started. We want to heat the beer as we add in spices so get a pan on the go and add the beer in. Only a really low heat though! As we have added in the wit it’s time to bring those flavours out with additions over the sour, we’re talking orange peel and coriander now. But we want it to be more interesting that just mixed beers so let’s add in some cloves about 1 per serving add in freshly sliced ginger and ground nutmeg too. You will want to add some sugar but not much and do that to taste. Warm it through and keep it warm for about 2 hours before 1st serving. It will taste better the longer you let it all infuse so leave it longer if possible. It’ll last 2 days so don’t forget to refresh your batch. Enjoy the mulled sourery goodness of your own creation.

Are you a brewer, brewery or do you know a brewery that deserves more attention?

Since we’ve started, way back in 2005, we’ve always tried give great attention to the ebb and flow of the developments of this wonderful world of contemporary beer today. But, as we’ve got busier and busier it’s harder to keep an eye on what’s happening – no matter how much time you sit and watch the twittersphere…

Of course we get sent samples, but we’ve always worked hard to sort the wheat from the chaff, making sure that just any ol’ or new beer lands on our website. Having something of an awareness of brewing and worked with some of the best in the game, they have instilled in us, what it takes to be “just good beer”.

Now, here’s the nub, I know a fair few of you who read this are brewers, work at breweries or are just really big fans of your local brewery. What we’re asking is, if you think your beer is excellent, get in touch! If you’re a friend of a brewery, make sure they’re aware of this, we’re always looking… and if you think there are beers “missing” from our site, let us know too! Tweet us, drop a note/link on Facebook or email us!